Weekly: The world we see

Old Happy: "I have to get it right on my own."
New Happy: "The only way to get it right is for us to come together."

No one sees the world the way that you do. It's one of your gifts. You have unique wisdom, unique ideas, and a unique understanding of the world.

At the same time, any one individual perspective is inevitably and perpetually limited. There is so much we cannot see, know, and understand; these individual limitations — accumulated over time into ideas, ideologies and institutions — can lead to to division, violence, and suffering.

To prevent this, we need to recognize that other people's perspectives are a gift, too, providing us with information that is, quite simply, impossible to see on our own. Bringing diverse perspectives together is what builds a compassionate, just, happy world.

Many people instinctively view other people's worldviews as a threat to their own — but we can learn how to overcome this.

The next time that someone shares a different perspective with you, try saying these words to yourself: "This is a chance for me to learn more about how someone else sees the world." The reason that this intention works so well is that it grounds you in curiosity rather than judgment.

If we really want to love ourselves, and if we really want to love others, then we will stay curious about how we all see the world, and come together to blend it into a beautiful, layered perspective that includes all of us.

Tips and Tools

1. Define your dream — This week's animation.

2. All of you — They're all acceptable.

3. Talk about them — Your feelings matter.

4. From patience to anticipation — An emotional shift.

5. How to be a good communicator — Remember this.

More from TNH

Book — Order New Happy today to find true happiness.

Podcast — Get a daily morning pep talk — in five minutes or less

Speaking — Book us to speak to your team about well-being, resilience, and productivity.

Articles — Read more articles on our website.